The brother who never visits … the friend who does, but ignores your loved one … the "swooper" … If you have a friend or family member who is caring for an elderly loved one, you'll want to check out this list of things not to do.

Professional in-home care agencies report an uptick in information calls in early January. The reason? The holidays are the time when out-of-town relatives are most likely to visit their elderly loved ones—and to realize that these seniors need help!

When a person is living with Alzheimer's disease or a related condition, family caregivers are often troubled by changes in the way their loved one acts. These changes, sometimes referred to as "behaviors" or "negative behaviors," are better considered for what they truly are: expressions of the person's needs, as distorted by the effects of the disease. Empathy and understanding that there may be a rational reason behind seemingly irrational actions helps caregivers devise strategies for preserving their loved one's safety and dignity while making things easier for family.

When the needs of aging parents change, one adult child often ends up doing the lion's share of the caregiving. Maybe this child lives nearby while others don't. Maybe she gets along better with Mom or Dad. Maybe he is in a better position to ask for flextime at work. Gender assumptions might be a factor—Princeton University researcher Angelina Grigoryeva recently confirmed that in the U.S., daughters still provide more than twice the amount of care to aging parents.

Summer is almost over and the kids are heading back to school. For empty nesters, fall is the perfect season to take a vacation! Popular destinations and attractions are not as crowded, while the weather is still pleasant.

From time to time, the Caring Right at Home newsletter has highlighted the ongoing research of University of Chicago’s Dr. John Cacioppo, whose groundbreaking work on the effect of loneliness has changed how we think about how seniors spend their time. Dr. Cacioppo has shown that loneliness is highly stressful for humans, raising the risk of hypertension, sleep disorders, depression and even Alzheimer’s disease.

An estimated 5.4 million people in the United States have Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia, and 70 percent—most with mild to moderate dementia—are cared for in the community by family members and friends.

Family caregivers are some of the busiest people around! These people who provide care for elderly or disabled relatives spend hours making sure their loved one is safe and well-cared for, often juggling work and other family responsibilities. Extra time to spend on their own needs is a scarce commodity.

For many couples, the "in sickness and in health" marriage vow plays out later in life with one of the spouses caring for the other. Perhaps an older spouse faces a chronic medical condition like Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease or is recovering from a stroke or undergoing cancer treatment. Whenever an elderly husband or wife takes on a greater care role for the other spouse, a number of physical, emotional and financial challenges can occur.

At first, the signs of misuse of a senior’s finances may seem quite innocuous—an unpaid bill or purchase of an item the older person doesn’t need. However, these may be initial warning signs that can lead to large or unexplained bank account withdrawals or transfers, unfamiliar signatures on checks and documents, and changes in banks, attorneys or wills.

A common misperception is that most people with Alzheimer’s disease live in nursing homes or other care facilities. While supportive living communities provide a safe living environment for many people with dementia, the majority live at home, supported by our nation’s 15 million Alzheimer’s family caregivers.

Today’s family structure is more diverse than ever before. Families come in all shapes and sizes, from traditional nuclear families to multigenerational households to collections of people who choose to live as a family. Just as families are changing, caregiving also is changing. But one thing never changes: Older adults value their independence. Yet many seniors need help from others to be safe at home. They rely on spouses, adult children and other relatives who provide hands-on assistance and coordinate their care.

Robots have the potential to help older adults with daily activities that can become more challenging with age. But are people willing to use this new technology? A study by the Georgia Institute of Technology indicates the answer is yes, unless the tasks involve personal care or social activities.

A recent report from Alzheimer's Disease International (ADI) focused on negative attitudes about the disease and the impact on people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, as well as the effect on their families.

No, but after reading the pet safety article in this newsletter, I plan to!

I have no pets at this time.

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